San Sebastián International Film Festival 2011

The 59th edition of the San Sebastián International Film Festival took place between the 16th and the 24th of September 2011. As every year, this traditional and prestigious Spanish Film Festival supported Spanish, Latin American and Basque Cinema sections in it's program, in addition to the international Official Selection.

Glenn Close with the Donosti Award

This year  the festival decided to honour the American actress Glenn Close by asigning her the Donostia lifetime achievement award. The actress came to collect the award as well as she presented her newest film "Albert Nobbs" that was opened in Europe in this year's San Sebastian Festival.

Los Pasos Dobles crew with Isaki Lacuesta

The winner of the Golden Shell this year in the Official Section was the Spanish  film "Los Pasos Dobles" (The Double Steps) by Isaki Lacuesta, where as the Special Jury Prize went to the French film "Skylab" by Julie Delpy. The Jury of the official selection presided by Frances McNormand decided to asign the Silver Shell for Best Director to the greek Filippos Tsitos, and the actors' awards went to Antonis Kafetzopoulos and María León for Benito Zambrano's "The Sleeping Voice". The Prize for the Best Cinematography was won by Ulf Brantas and the Best Screenplay by Hirokazu Kore-eda.

The rest of the Spanish presentation in the Official Selection "No Rest for the Wicked" by Enrique Urbizu or "The Intruders" by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo didn't receive prizes, although, according to the audience's reactions it seems the two movies are really good.

Enrique Urbizu

As far as the Spanish and Basque film selections are concerned I would distinguish Mateo Gil's "Blackthorn", starring Sam Shepard, Eduardo Noriega, Stephen Rea, Magaly Solier and Nicolak Coster-Waldau and Daniel Sánchez Arévalo's "Primos"(Cousinhood) starring Quim Gutiérrez, Raúl Arévalo, Adrián Lastra, Inma Cuesta, Antonio de la Torre in the Made in Spain- section. From the basque Zinemira- section we liked Alberto Gorritiberea's "The Stone" (Arriya, la Piedra) starring Iban Garate, Begoña Maestre, Sara Casanovas and Ramón Agirre.

As every year the San Sebastian Festival had a friendly and festive atmosphere. According to the new festival director José Luis Rebordinos, the intention of the Festival this year was to magnify the presence of the international film industry and press.
In fact the festival seeks an interactive approach between the filmmakers and the audience.
After every showing actors and directors answer the questions asked by the spectators.

In the photo the Finnish actress Emilia Uutinen speaking with Esteban & J. Miguel Ibarretxe.

We look forward to participating again next year in this traditional and cosy festival which, together with the Cannes Festival, has become a sort of a rundown of the Spanish film tendencies of the year.